Yes, but are you going to have a racket that can rival the spin of the wilson 99s? I for one, have spent years working on my spin technique. The fear is that everyone will now be able to match what I have done, by simply buying
this 99s. I want to stick with Babolat, as i believe your frame design is superior.

But are we now reaching a point as in golf, where the infusion of the oversized driver leveled the playing field for almost anyone? It used to be that you needed a solid technique to get an outstanding drive. Now all you need is to swing fast and hard.

I think Babolat needs to get on this quickly, and not wait another year or months. Even I am tempted to buy the 99s soon.

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With every advantage (more power, more spin, more control), there is a drawback. We've been a leader in open string pattern racquets that generate spin and will continue to work with pros, coaches, and rec players of all levels to create products that help players maximize there game.

One of the drawbacks of poly is it loses tensions really quickly. Have you tried a hybrid with a 16 gauge multi or 15L Natural Gut? You might lose some spin and gain power, but it will help with tension loss.

For every advantage, there is a drawback.

We've got something coming out in 2013 that should address the poly/tension issue. Stay tuned for more information...

With every advantage (more power, more spin, more control), there is a drawback. We've been a leader in open string pattern racquets that generate spin and will continue to work with pros, coaches, and rec players of all levels to create products that help players maximize there game.

Didn't someone used to make a 14X18 players frame?

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I asked a 6.0 player here if he was going to switch to the 99s. He works in a tennis shop, and gets all his stuff free. Although he hasnt demo'd the 99s yet, he said there was no way he would switch(currently playing Head).

Maybe the drawbacks are too much of a sacrifice to deal with, when you already have your "A" game on deck?

For me, my "A" game is present, but I'm not so lockled into it that I cant change it up a bit to adapt to a new racket.

They will be distributed through retailers. This is our first time making a stencil and they are being rolled out, slowly. Thanks for your patience.

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No, it's not. Here is a stencil on the first Babolat racquet I ever hit with. There were "VS" stencils in the 70's and 80's. There was even a VS stencil with the double lines at the bottom of the stencil.
This is the very first Babolat racquet I ever hit with back in 1989. It was for testing cordage.

Hi Daniel,
We really need you on the string forum as some of us would rather focus on string. Maybe your response to this question can be posted there.

I saw your previous comments on BT7 where you acknowledge Babolats intent to improve durability and that there are many trade offs in life. Would you acknowledge that in this case Babolat took the worlds best playing production tennis string, increased durability a bit for the trade off of a stiffer string with less power and feel?

I don't know the specific names/models of the machines but we test flexibility, frame strength, spin, power, durability, swing weight, balance, etc. All the racquet companies do this to varying degrees with various machines.

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This sounds so cool... May I ask "how" do you do it? I'm overly intrigued.

Hi Daniel,
We really need you on the string forum as some of us would rather focus on string. Maybe your response to this question can be posted there.

I saw your previous comments on BT7 where you acknowledge Babolats intent to improve durability and that there are many trade offs in life. Would you acknowledge that in this case Babolat took the worlds best playing production tennis string, increased durability a bit for the trade off of a stiffer string with less power and feel?

Look forward to your response!

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In MY experience, durability is the same. I'm not the only one with that experience either.

Hi Daniel,
We really need you on the string forum as some of us would rather focus on string. Maybe your response to this question can be posted there.

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+1. Daniel, there are countless negative posts within multiple string threads on this board regarding new Babolat VS gut (with BT7). Why doesn't Babolat offer the (non-BT7) original VS gut as an option for those that prefer it? I guess that if the rumor is true that Wilson natural gut really is made by and the same as Babolat original VS gut then Babolat is technically still offering it.

No, it's not. Here is a stencil on the first Babolat racquet I ever hit with. There were "VS" stencils in the 70's and 80's. There was even a VS stencil with the double lines at the bottom of the stencil.
This is the very first Babolat racquet I ever saw back in 1989. It was for testing cordage.

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My apologies.

I should have said, this is our first time making a stencil since we began making racquets (1994).

Hi Daniel,
We really need you on the string forum as some of us would rather focus on string. Maybe your response to this question can be posted there.

I saw your previous comments on BT7 where you acknowledge Babolats intent to improve durability and that there are many trade offs in life. Would you acknowledge that in this case Babolat took the worlds best playing production tennis string, increased durability a bit for the trade off of a stiffer string with less power and feel?

Look forward to your response!

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This sounds like a loaded question...but here goes.

BT7 was added to make the string more durable without grossly changing the way gut plays. From your phrasing, I'm going out on a limb and guessing you feel it plays stiffer, with less feel, and less power. I hear you and if you read the thread, I've relayed this information to our string product team.

+1. Daniel, there are countless negative posts within multiple string threads on this board regarding new Babolat VS gut (with BT7). Why doesn't Babolat offer the (non-BT7) original VS gut as an option for those that prefer it? I guess that if the rumor is true that Wilson natural gut really is made by and the same as Babolat original VS gut then Babolat is technically still offering it.

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I've heard the Wilson rumor before but no one in the company will confirm. Sorry.

Making one set of gut is an incredibly complicated and lengthy process. It takes over 60 days.

I am headed to France on Sunday. My first trip since I joined the forums. One of the topics I will be addressing is BT7. I hope to have some more information to report back to all of you the following week.

This sounds so cool... May I ask "how" do you do it? I'm overly intrigued.

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You can use a Babolat RDC to test swing weight, balance point, flexibility, and string bed stiffness.

For spin, we shoot a ball at the string bed at varying angles/spins/paces and use a special camera that shoots at 240 FPS (or something absurd like that, can't remember off the top of my head.) There also is a machine that is kind of like a radar gun that measures RPM (revolutions per minute).

When we (and most people) product test, the idea is to have as much of the test controlled, so you can tweak specifics variables to understand their effect.

Durability is less exciting, but involves putting stress on products until they break.

Nope. We don't even have one in the US office. I've been to the room in Lyon with every racquet we ever made, but have not looked at this one specifically.

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Hi Daniel, I look for this thread every time I pop into the forum....thnak you! For the record, I am an aredent Babolat user since getting serious about tennis (Pure Drive users for 10 years-just bought the 2013 APD though-Love it, and always use VS Touch @ 57lbs.)

My question: is it true that the Pro's have their racquets made (possibly to their specifications) in Lyon, as opposed to us mere mortals that get the "Built to spec in China" racquets in the retail shops?

Viva La Babolat!

PS My all time favourite is still the PD Team! (Bab should re-launch it as a classic!)

Hi Daniel, I look for this thread every time I pop into the forum....thnak you! For the record, I am an aredent Babolat user since getting serious about tennis (Pure Drive users for 10 years-just bought the 2013 APD though-Love it, and always use VS Touch @ 57lbs.)

My question: is it true that the Pro's have their racquets made (possibly to their specifications) in Lyon, as opposed to us mere mortals that get the "Built to spec in China" racquets in the retail shops?

Viva La Babolat!

PS My all time favourite is still the PD Team! (Bab should re-launch it as a classic!)

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I loved the PD team. Played with it for years. I also recently switched to the 2013 APD.

The pros racquets are customized versions of the consumer frames (some more than others). We have a team that adjusts swing weight, balance, etc. but they are built off the same frames you buy in a shop. Some pros constantly tinker with customization while others have the same specs for the entire season.

Is Babolat coming out with a replacement for the AeroStorm line? I know Jack Sock has long been using the AeroStorm, but this is a new look similar to the AeroPro 2013 paint job. Is this just an AeroStorm painted to look like the current line of AeroPro or a new racquet altogether?

Is Babolat coming out with a replacement for the AeroStorm line? I know Jack Sock has long been using the AeroStorm, but this is a new look similar to the AeroPro 2013 paint job. Is this just an AeroStorm painted to look like the current line of AeroPro or a new racquet altogether?

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It's a paint job.
Steve Johnson is still really using the AeroStorm too.

Why are Babolat painjobbing old Aero Storms if the line is being discontinued? Doesn't seem like a lasting solution for me to be honest - I'm pretty sure there will be a new Aero Storm from what I've heard in the UK

Why are Babolat painjobbing old Aero Storms if the line is being discontinued? Doesn't seem like a lasting solution for me to be honest - I'm pretty sure there will be a new Aero Storm from what I've heard in the UK

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As daniel said earlier, 2014 will be new racquet coming out..they are just paintjobbing to help out pros not ready to change. 2013 is just a "rest year" for retail on Aero Storm. Later in year there will be more info on what the new racquet looks like for 2014.